Knitting machine



June 15, 1937. v. LOMBARDI' KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 8, 1934 7 Sheets-Shee't 2 June 15, 1937. v. LOMBARDI 2,083,723

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. a, 19:54 7 Sheets-Shet s June 15, 1937. v. LOMBARDI v 2,

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. a,' 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 15, 1937. v. LOMBARD] 2,083,723

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 8, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 15, 1937.

KNITTING MACHINE Filed NOV. 8, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 June 15, 1937.

v. LOMBARDI KNITTING MACHINE File Nov. 8, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented June 15, 1937 UNITED STATES 2,083,723 KNITTING .MACIIINE Vincent Lombardi, Garden City, N. Y., assignor to Lombardi Knitting Machine Co. Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 8, 1934; Serial No. 752,028

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the art of knitting and has particular reference to a method of knitting and machine for carrying the same into efiect.

In knitting machines of known construction, such as the dial and cylinder type, wherein the knitting elements or needles on the dial and cylinder of the machine are movable along intersecting paths relative to each other, it has been customary to arrange the dial exteriorly about the periphery of the cylinder and dispose the cylinder needles on the interior of the surface of said cylinder, or to mount the dial within the cylinder with the cylinder needles supported on the outside of the cylinder. In either event, the dial and cylinder needles are disposed on opposite sides of the cylinder and the needles are in opposed position relative to each other with their backs adjacent and their respective casting members, such as their latches or beards, movable in relatively opposite directions when being. closed or opened. Also, regardless of the disposition of the dial with respect to the cylinder, that is, whether it be inside or outside thereof, the finished fabric is fed from the needles along a course between the same and adjacent their opposed backs. Thus,

with the dial outside of the .cylinder and the needles on the inner .surface of the latter, the

finished fabric is fed outside of the cylinder, while in the reverse condition in which the dial is inside the cylinder, the fabric is fed from the needles along a course extending inside the cylinder.

In cont'radistinction to these known arrangements of elements, the present invention proposes a novel and improved assembly of parts and method of operating the same by which there is produced a knitted fabric of finer gauge than has been heretofore made, and wherein a wide range of novel designs may be incorporated.

A feature of the invention which enables the attainment of the above result is to provide an arrangement of knitting elements in which one group thereof is operable between a series of sinkers that are, in turn, aligned with and may v support the other group of elementssaid groups ing advanced and retracted and the loops are disengaged from the hooks of said elements.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of expressions some of which, for purposes of illustration, are shown in the accompanying drawings; but it is to be expressly understood that said drawings are used merely to facilitate the description of the invention as a whole and not to define the limits thereof, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose.

In the drawings: l

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section through a knitting machine illustrating the present invention, some of the elements being more or less conventionally shown.

Figure 2 is a greatly enlarged section substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating one form of knitting operation, the parts being enlarged and the wales of the knitted fabric shown being spread apart so that a clear understanding of the operation may be obtained.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 illustrating the manner of kniting another type of'fabric in which long and loose loops are formed on the front of said fabric.

Figure 5 is another perspective view similar to Figures 3 and 4 showing a further type of knitting in which alternate yarns are knitted on the cylinder and dial needles.

Figures 6a to 67', inclusive, are diagrammatic.

side elevations showing the progressive action of two needles throughout a cycle of operation thereof.

Figure 6k is a section substantially on the line 6k6k of Figure 6d.

Figures 7a, 7e, 7h and Vi are views similar to Figures 6a, 6e, 6n and 6i, respectively, showing progressive steps in a knitting operation in which different types of needles are employed, such as a pivoted latch needle for the cylinder and a beard needle for the dial.

Figure 7k is a section on the line He-7k on Figure 7h.

Figures 8e, 8/ and By are elevations illustrating the use of beard needles for both the cylinder and dial, the different figures showing progressive steps in the knitting operation, and

Figures 9a to 9 inclusive, are diagrammatic elevational views showing successive steps in knitting a fabric such as illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings.

The drawings disclose only so much of a knitting machine as is necessary to a complete understanding of the present invention, and by particular reference to Figures 1 to 3, it will be seen that said machine comprises the usual stationary cylinder 20 mounted upon the base 2|.

5 Said base also supports the rotating member 22 upon which is carried, in a manner well known in the art, the various instrumentalities, such as the cams and pattern wheel conventionally illustrated at 23 and 24, respectively, that control the operation of the group of knitting elements or needles 25 supported upon and about the outer surface of the cylinder 20 for vertical movement relative thereto. As shown in Figure 1, the stationary dial 26 of the machine may be disposed about the exterior of the cylinder adjacent its upper end and is provided on its top surface with a plurality of radially extending guide channels or grooves 21 in-each of which is mounted a sinker 28 movable longitudinally in its chan- 20 nel under the influence of the revolving sinker control element 29 so as to push or feed the finished fabric away from the knittingpositions, the bill or hook 30 on the sinker accomplishing this function upon advancement of the sinker in the direction of the cylinder.

In rotary machines commonly employed, it is known that the maximum number of needles that can be disposed within an inch of cylinder or dial space is thirty-two, this being due to the fact that 0 the distance between adjacent sinkers must not only accommodate the needle operating therebetween but also the strands of yarn which are drawn into the space between said sinkers during the formation of loops. By the present invention,

35 it is possible to double the number of needles in a given space and thereby knita fabric of much finer gauge than heretofore. To attain this result, it is proposed to provide a novel arrangement of knitting elements and sinkers in 40 which the latter are, as previously described, mounted in the guide channels 21 of the dial, and wherein each of a group of dial knitting elements or needles 3| is disposed in vertical alignment with one of said sinkers so as to be in offset rela- 5 tion to the two contiguous cylinder needles 25 which operate on either side of said sinker and between the same and the next adjacent sinkers, as will be best understood by reference to Figure 2. In so disposing the dial needle, it is preferable 50 and practical, although not essential, to support vthe same on top of its associated sinker and to make the depth of the guide channel 2'! sufficient to receive the needle therein so that it will be properly guided in its movements.

55 Further, the invention contemplates an arrangement of the knitting elements relative to each other that is essentially difierent from the known arrangement of needles universally employed in knitting machines of the dial 60 and cylinder type. As previously pointed out in connection with the cylinder and dial type of machine, the needles are disposed relative to each other so that their backs are adjacent and the casting members thereof have movements in op- 65 posite directions when being closed or opened.

Thus, by reference to Figure 1, it will be understood that in the ordinary type of machine, with the dial arranged exteriorly of the cylinder as shown, the cylinder needle would be disposed on 7 ,the inner side of the cylinder with its back adja cent the cylinder wall and the dial needle would be arranged just as illustrated in said figure, except that it would simply be disposed in a groove on the dial and not mounted upon a sinker 75 as inthe present'case, this latter arrangement 9 dial and sinker being one of the novel features of this invention. Therefore, with the needles of the ordinary machine disposed in the above manner, it will be apparent that when the casting member of the cylinder needle is swung open it 5 has a rotative movement in a clockwise direction, and in an opposite direction when being closed, whereas the movements of the casting member of the dial needle to open and closed positions are reversed relative to those of the cylinder needle. 10 In the same sense, if the cylinder needle were on the outside of the cylinder and the dial and its needle were inside the cylinder, as must be the case in an ordinary dial and cylinder machine, the casting members of the two needles would 5 again have relative movements in opposite directions when being opened orclosed. As distinguished from these known arrangements, in the present invention the two needles are disposed with respect to each other in such manner that their casting members, as shown in Figure 1, will have relatively the same directional or rotative movement when being opened or closed; and this will be also true if the dial were arranged inside the cylinder for, in such instance, the needle 25 for the latter would be placed on the inside of said cylinder in a reversed position from that shown in Figure 1, with its back ,adjacent the inner wall of the cylinder. With such disposition of the needles as shown in Figure l, the finished fabric is fed by the sinkers from the knitting positions of the needles in a direction and along a course which extends into the cylinder 20 to the side of the cylinder needle opposite that to which the dial needle is adjacent, or, in other words, with the dial needle disposed adjacent the front of the cylinder needle, the fabric is fed along a course nearest the back of the latter needle.

The selective operation of the group of dial needles 3| is controlled by suitable well known in- 40 strumentalities such as the cams 32, 32a, pattern wheel 33, and rocker elements 34. The cams and pattern wheel are carried by the rotating member 22, as is customary. The elements 34 are disposed in the guide channels 21 for operative connection with their respective needles 3! and are selectively operated by the passage of the pattern wheel thereover in the usual manner to select certain of the associated needles for advancement by the cam 32. For a disclosure of the type of rocker elements and associated mechanism which may be employed, reference is made to my co-pending application, Serial Number 680,168, filed July 13, 1933. By such selective means, it is possible to secure a plurality of positions of adjustment of each needle 3|, the main positions being the retracted, fully advanced, and intermediate or tucking positions. The latter position is one in which the needle is partially advanced to a point where the loop held by the G0 hook of the needle has opened the latch thereof and continues to engage and retain said latch in its open position. Such operation is well known as exemplified in my United States Patents 1,541,230, dated June 9, 1925, and 1,728,293, dated September 17, 1929, and is utilized for the purpose of producing fabrics in which one yarn is interlocked between loops of certain walesformed by another yarn and is carried loosely to the rear of the remaining wales of the latter yarn. In

operation, when the rocker 34 is in the full line position shown in Figure 1, it is unaffected by the cam 32 and the associated needle remains retracted. jVVhen rocked to an intermediate position by the wheel 32 the upper shoulder of the rocker is engaged by said cam to advance the needle to an intermediate position; and when said rocker is fully depressed by contact with said wheel, the cam will engage the lower shoulder of the rocker and fully advance the needle. It is obvious that a similar arrangement may be used for the selective positioning of the cylinder needles. When employing groups of dial and cylinder knitting elements in the manner above described and with the finished fabric, in effect, pulling in a direction substantially opposite to that of the movement of the dial needles as the latter are retracted, it becomes desirable, at certain stages of the knitting operation, to positively hold a formed loop on the dial needle during an interval of time while said needle is being advanced or retracted. For this purpose, there is provided a loop-engaging and retaining member 35 (see Figure 670) in the form of an angular finger carried by a rotating part of the. machine, such as the member 22. The bight 36 of said finger is curved so as to easily ride over'the dial loops and the horizontal portion 31 of said finger extends in 5 a direction opposite that in which the same rotates about the cylinder, and said finger is of such length as toengage and retain said loops on their needles for a definite interval of time during the operation of the latter, as will appear in the course of the description. To aid in this retention, the sinkers 28 are formed in their upper edges with recesses 38 so that the portion 31 of the member 35 will be permitted to engage and pass over the yarn along a line'which extends below the upper edge. of the sinker, as shown in Figure 6d and other similar views. With the recess 38 thus formed in each sinker, the associated needle overlies said recess but is otherwise supported by the. upper edge of the sinker and 40 also by the hook 30 thereof, this latter point of support overcoming any tendency of displacement of the needle in certain positions thereof, due to the downward pull of the fabric-on the hook of the needle.

In Figure 3, there is illustrated one of many types or designs of fabric which may be produced by the present machine and method, the cylinder and dial needles alternating, in this instance, to form loops between the sinkers and above and in line therewith. It will be seen from said figure that the yarn 39, which is being acted upon by the cylinder and dial needles, is looped by the cylinder needle at the right of said figure and drawn downwardly through a previously formed loop 48. From thence, said yarn extends through a previously formed dial loop 4| to the hookof the first dialneedle to the right, and this alternate looping of said yarn is repeated by the succeeding cylinder and dial needles. In Figures 6a to 67' there is shown a cycle of operation by two of the cylinder and dial needles by the coaction of which loops are formed as illustrated in Figure 3. Beginning with Figure 6a, the needles are in the same relative position as shown in Figure 3 and 5 the sinker 28 is retracted. At this point in the operation, the sinker cam 29 begins to advance the sinker toward the position of 6b so that the hook 38 will engage the newly formed loops and feed the fabric away from the knitting positions of the needles. In so doing, the loops 42 and 43 which have just been formed and which engage in the hooks of the needles 3| and 25, respectively, are pulled to the right as viewed in Figure 6b, and the needle 25 is then ready to be advanced by a 7 cam 23 to the position of Figure 60. During this movement the pivoted latch of said needle 25 is opened by the loop 43 and the latter rides upon the shank of the needle, while the loop 42 is held taut by its dial needle. The needle 25 now starts its downward or retracting movement preparatory to picking up a new yarn and as it reaches the position of Figure 6d, and with the needle 3| still retracted, the rotating finger-35 engages the loop 42 adjacent its bight and between the two needles, and depresses and holds said loop thereby positively retaining itagainst forward movement as the needle 3| advances from the position of Figure 6d to that of Figure 6e. During this advancement, the needle 3| passes the loop 42 onto its shank thereby opening the latch of the needle, said loop being still retained by the portion 31 of the member 35. In Figure 6e, the needle 25 is retracting and is about to engage its hook with the new yarn 44, and as. this retraction of the needle progresses to the position of Figure 6f, the needle3l starts its retracting movement. At the latter position, the loops 42 and 43 are beginning to close the latches of their respective needles and the needle 25 is about to draw the yarn 44 over the hook of the needle 3| and from thence downwardly through the loop 43 which is about to be cast, as shown in Figure 647. Between the positions of Figures 6g and 6h, when it is assured that the new yarn 44 has been placed over the hook of the needle 3| and is being drawn through the loop 43. the retaining finger 35 disengages from the loop 42 so that the latter will be free to be cast from its needle, which operation is now being accomplished in Figure 6h. During the casting of said loop, the needle 3| is retracting and now has in its hook the new yarn which was placed over said hook by the operation of the. needle 25, and said yarn .is ultimately drawn through the loop 42, the beginning of this latter operation being shown in Figure 62'. At this point the sinker 28 is further advanced to pull upon the newly formed loops on the two needles and this advancement continues to the position of Figure 67'. In the meanwhile the needle 25 has been fully retracted and now again; as shown in Figure 6". is ready to start its advance with its newly formed loop 45, and with the needle 3| fully retracted to form the new loop 46. At this stage, the sinker 28 is retracted to the position of Figure 6a and the cycle of operation is completed.

Figures 7a, 7e, 7h and ii are views corresponding, respectively, to Figures 6a, 6e, 6h and 62' illustrating the manner in which d ifcrent types of needles, such as pivoted latch and beard needles may be employed in the knitting operation, the beard needles 41 being, in the present instance, disposed on the dial sinkers 28. The operations at the various stages illustrated in Figures 7a to periphery of the disc is provided with a series of notches 49 so placed as to receive 'the'beards of certain of the needles when it is not desired to close said beards, while the outer edge of the disc engages the beards which are to be closed for casting of their loops, as indicated in them ddle position in Figure 770. v V

In Figures 8e, {3! and 8g, there is illustrated the manner in which beard needles 41 and 50 maybe employed on both the dial and cylinder ofthe machine and the stages of operation shown in said figures correspond substantially to those loop 42 on the dial needle 41 is being positively held by the portion 31 of the retaining member 35. Between the stages of Figures 8e and 8}, a

beard-closing bar 5| of well known construction and associated with each of the cylinder needles is shifted laterally by the passing cam 52 to engage and close the heard of the needle, 50 for casting' of the loop 43, as shown in the latter figure, following which said bar is retracted to its normal position in Figure 89. In the meanwhile, the needle 41 is retracting and the disc 48 becomes effective to close thebeard of said needle preparatory to the casting of the loop 42 thereover. ceeds as in Figures 6h to 61.

In Figure 4 there is illustrated another of the various types of fabric which may be knitted by employing the present invention. In this embodiment, it is proposed to knit a fabric in which the front thereof is formed, at either regular or irregular intervals, with long loops 53 which lie loosely upon the fabric so as to simulate small tufts. Such a fabric is knitted'by a continuous operation of the cylinder needles 25 to form the loops 54 of adjacent wales, and by an intermittent.

selective operation of needles 3| to provide said long loops 53. The latter operation is accomplished by the utilization of such instrumentalities as the cams 32, 32a, the pattern wheel 33 and the rockers 34. As shown in Figure 4, a long loop is being formed by the middle needle 3| while the adjacent dial needles remain out of ner the operation proceeds with the long loops 53 being formed between any two wales of the fabric and at predetermined, regular 6r irregular intervals throughout the same. When a loop' 53 is thus formed on the front of the fabric and before it is released by the dial needle, the next succeeding yarns are laid over said loop until it is releasedby the needle so that the disposition of the loop on the front of the fabric, as

shown in the lower portion assured. I

Successive steps in the cycle of operation in forming a long loop 53 is illustrated in Figures 9a to 9 inclusive. In Figure. 9a, the sinker of Figure 4, will be 28 is retracted and .the cylinder needle 25 has just formed a new loop preparatory to another advancement of the needle. located adjacent the knitting position preparatory to receiving the yarn in which one of the long loops is to be formed. Fromthe position of Figure 9a, the sinker. 28 is advanced to its position in Figure 9b to engage the hook 30 with positionand at the same time the cylinder needle From this point, the operation pro- The dial needle 3| is 1,

is advanced preparatory to picking up a new yarn. When in the position of Figure 9c, the needle 3| hasbeen advanced and a rotating latchopening cam 56 becomes eiiective at this point to engage the latch of said needle 3| and open the same, said needle being thenin the knitting position of Figure 9d in which the sinker 28 is now retracted and .the needle 25 is moving downward to pick up the new yarn 51. As said yarn is drawn downwardly it is engaged with the hook of the needle,3|, as shown in Figure 9e, to initiate the formation of the long loop 53, and the needle 25 is fully retracted. From the position of Figure 9e, the sinker 28 is again advanced to the position of Figure 9f to engage and tighten the loops on the needle and immediately following, the sinker is retracted to the position of Figure 99 as the cylinder needle is fully retracted: Again, the sinker 28 is advanced to the position of Figure 9h to tighten the new loop on the cylinder needle and at the same time the cylinder needle moves upward toward the position of Figure 92' preparatory to catching the new yarn 58. At this point the dial needle 3| is again advanced and the finger 31 engages the long loop 53 to positively retain said loop while said needle is next retracted for casting'of the loop in themanner previously described. As the needle 25 retracts from its position in Figure 91 it catches the new yarn'58 and said needle is then fully retracted to the position of Figure 97', casting its loop and forming a new loop while the long loop 53 is left lying loose upon the sinker 28 with the latter in its retracted position. The cycle of operation is now completed and the dial needle remains inactive in its retracted position until again advanced to the position of Figure 9a when another long loop is to be formed by said needle.

The fabric shown in Figure 5 is knitted by an alternate operation of cylinder and dial needles upon different yarns which may be vari-colored, and eachof which is successively formed into a loop by means of said needles and then cast over the intermediate portion of a next adjacent loop formed by a different needle. Thus, after the yarn 59 has been looped by the right hand cylinder needle 25, it is laidover the intermediate portion of the loop 60 formed from the yarn 6| by the right hand dial needle, and is thereafter again looped by the next succeeding cylinder needle. In the same manner, the yarn 6|, after being L looped by the dial needle, is laid over the intermediate portion of the next adjacent loop in the yarn 62 which is acted upon by the cylinder needles. It will be understood, of course, that the definite alternating operation just described may be changed by a selective intermittent operation of the different needles to obtain varied effects in the fundamental designof the fabric such as, for instance, a control of the dial needles similar to that previously described in connection with the formation of long loose loops on the front of the fabric. 7

What is claimed is:

1. In a knitting machine, a cylinder, a plurality of knitting elements thereon, a dial having guiding channels, sinkers in said channels between which said knitting elements operate a plurality of other knitting elements also within said channels and cooperating with the first-named knitting elements in knitting a fabric, and control elements for said other knitting elements also disposed within said guiding channels and selectively operable to control the operation or the latter knitting elements.

within said guiding channels and selectively op- 2. In a knitting machine, groups of dial and cylinder knitting elements, sinkers between which said cylinder elements operate and which support. said dial elements, means to operate said knit- 5 ting elements, and a movable retaining member engaging andretaining the formed loops on said dial elements during the operation of the latter.

3. In a knitting machine, a cylinder, a plurality of knitting elements thereon, a dial having guiding channels, sinkers in said channels between which said knitting elements operate, a plurality of other knitting elements supported upon said sinkers within the confines of said channels and cooperating with the first-named knitting elements in knitting a fabric, and control elements for said other knitting elements also disposed within said guiding channels and selectively operable to control the operation of the latter knitting elements. I i

4. In a knitting machine, a cylinder, a plurality of knitting elements thereon, a dial having guiding channels, sinkers in said channels between which said knitting elements operate and which are provided with recesses in their upper edges,

a plurality of other knitting elements also within said channels and cooperating with the firstnamed knitting elements in knitting a fabric, a loop-retaining member common to said other elements and movable through the recesses in said sinkers below the plane of said other elements to engage and retain the loops formed thereby during the operation thereof, and control elements for said other knitting elements disposed erable to control the operation of said other knitting elements.

5. In a knitting machine, a dial having guiding channels therein, sinkers in said channels and each having a hook at one end. and a recess in its upper edge adjacent said hook, a knitting element in each channel supported upon said upper edge and by said hook, a member movable through the recess in each sinker to engage and retain a loop formed on the associated needle during an operation of the latter, and other knitting elements cooperating with the first-named knitting elements to knit a fabric.

6. In aknitting machine, a cylinder, a plurality -of knitting elements thereon, a dial having guiding channels, sinkers in said channels-between which said knitting elements operate and which are provided with recesses in their upper edges, a plurality of other knitting elements supported upon said sinkers within the confines of said channels and cooperating with'the first-named knitting elements in knitting a fabric, control elements for said other knitting elements also disposed within said guiding channels and oper- 

